The Fallout series of games was always ripe for adaptation, but not because of any particular story. Rather, the world-building by a team of game creators led by Tim Kaine in 1997 rivals that of George Lucas and his J.R.R. his Tolkien. Wrapped in his 20th century aesthetic of Art Deco and Coca-Cola, it feels more relatable and approachable. In “Fallout” his three nuclear powers of the world destroy each other. A special class of people (later called his Vault Dwellers) could hide in individually numbered nuclear shelters. Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) is the main character of her Vault 33.
The show wisely understood that the most distinctive and interesting human stories in this world are those of the Vault Dwellers. In Fallout, each Vault has its own purpose. (One famous example of gaming, Vault 11, revolved around a twisted democratic experiment in which citizens were allowed to vote each year on who to sacrifice.) The show's binge-worthy mystery Box Question: What is the purpose of Vault 33? The show follows Lucy, who leaves the vault after an intrusion by a mysterious stranger, and her brother Norm (Moisés Arias), who leans into the survivors in search of understanding. ), which follows the journey of two residents.
This is a rare video game adaptation that welcomes and embraces the quieter moments. Much of the show resembles a wordless montage of the introductions to Pixar's “WALL-E” and “Up.” The game's faithful soundtrack, full of early 20th century pop music (Bing Crosby, The Ink Spots), further enhances the atmosphere of modern silent films, where the cinematography and sound are a treat in themselves.
Parnell (“Yellowjackets”) shares the top role with Aaron Moten as Maximus, a soldier in training with an isolationist super-soldier group called the Brotherhood of Steel. Post-war madness is on full display as Maximus overcomes peer pressure and fanaticism to survive and maintain his masculinity. Military masculinity in video games is put to the test and mocked in hilarious slapstick violence featuring Power His armor and mutated wild animals. Morten gives a convincing performance as a very clueless but wise survivor, and his story contains some of the biggest surprises.
Less surprisingly, the third main character, the Ghoul, played by Walton Goggins, has mutated into a zombie cowboy with a carved granite face and a snarling black hat. It's a charismatic, scene-stealing performance, but his character relies too much on the Man in Black trope that Nolan and Joy explored so thoroughly in Westworld. Far from boring, the mean spirit of the cowboy is also less scary when it's predictable. Fortunately, his backstory (told through copious flashbacks throughout the season) includes some serious humanity.
The best thing about the Fallout game world, and now this show, is that it's one of the most relatable sci-fi wastelands. Unlike other geeky properties, this one isn't about superheroes or Super Mario. This series is about human experimentation as a literal science project. As for “Fallout,” you probably still won't like the final result, as high-concept Nolan films tend to fizzle out over time. But again, in typical Nolan fashion, this is a triumphant and must-see first season.